My Hero Academia pays loving tribute to classic shonen titles that came before it, as well as the American comics industry. All Might is almost certainly an amalgamation of Captain America and Superman, and Izuku Midoriya is a fine shonen protagonist who builds upon earlier heroes, such as Yusuke Urameshi and Son Goku. Does "the power of friendship" factor in, too? It might not. At least, not really.
Recently, there's been a trend toward making shonen heroes more rounded, and giving them more to do than chase power to defeat villains like Frieza and Dio Brando. Izuku Midoriya is bucking that trend, though, going back to shonen roots wherein "I must get stronger" is the core. He's not a cold protagonist, but then again, Izuku is a pragmatic hero who doesn't indulge in nonsense, not even whimsical friendships -- and that's important.
The Power Of Rivals & Mentors
This isn't to say that My Hero Academia is scorning the concept of "the power of friendship" -- far from it. Izuku is a kind boy who is always ready to extend the hand of friendship to his classmates, even to the self-absorbed Yuga Aoyama (who sympathized with Izuku on a few levels). He is also a friend of Ochaco Uraraka's, but like her hero Izuku, Ochaco understands that a trainee hero like her can't just coast on warm fuzzy feelings. She and Izuku are training to be professionals, and that means being practical and results-oriented. This is no time to goof off.
Some anime, especially Fairy Tail and its ilk, put emphasis on the classic "power of friendship," instilling good values of trusting and respecting other people onto the reader. But then there's Izuku Midoriya, who sees power in, well, power itself. He is ambitious and driven to become a great hero, and he needs allies and companions who can actually push him forward, not just hang out with him for fun.
Izuku has no time to waste; he only recently obtained One For All and needs to make up for lost time, and if an ally or friend can't advance his career and training, he'll limit the time he spends with that person. Izuku is a hero of all the people, not just his friends, and he understands that "the power of friendship" can actually be a selfish thing. If Ochaco is in trouble during a mission, but Izuku needs to act to save hundreds of innocent civilians, he'll take the latter route as duty demands (and Ochaco would totally understand).
A hero like the almighty Deku has a responsibility for protecting all the people, and he must obtain the strength necessary to do so. This clearly sets him apart from other shonen heroes like Natsu Dragneel and Ichigo Kurosaki, for example.
Izuku's 'Power Friendships' In The Story
During the course of My Hero Academia's anime so far, Izuku has made a handful of friends and allies, but of course, they are useful to him as a hero, not just "for fun" friendships. Izuku is smart about how he makes friends, and often, friendship is what comes second, rather than first. As for his friendship with Ochaco, it was Ochaco who launched the relationship, extending a friendly hand to Izuku when he was all alone during his first day at U.A. Like Izuku, Ochaco isn't just looking for a friend; she views Izuku as a valuable ally, a peer who can fight alongside her and a peer who will drive her to reach new heights. Ochaco gets warm fuzzy feelings and a professional boost from knowing Izuku.
Izuku himself did this when he met the elderly Gran Torino to train and hone his abilities with One For All. Izuku learned a great deal from All Might's previous instructor, and he now considers Gran Torino a vital ally and stepping stone (in a benign way) on his path to becoming the new symbol of peace. Izuku also cherishes his childhood friendship with Katsuki Bakugo, but now, the friendship has another layer: the intense competitive drive that fuels both boys. Bakugo is Izuku's Vegeta, and they are determined to outdo the other on the journey to becoming the new top hero. Both aspire to surpass All Might and surpass each other, and the results are nothing short of remarkable.
Lastly, Izuku has become a friend of Mirio Togata, but that relationship started on a professional note. Izuku approached the talented Mirio and the Nighteye agency so he could practice being a great hero, and Izuku knew that this was yet another vital stepping stone for realizing his potential. Izuku and Mirio were fellow intern heroes with a real job to do, and neither of them lost sight of that fact.
But still, Mirio took a personal liking to Izuku right away, and it didn't take long for Izuku to return those feelings. Both trainee heroes fought bravely against the villainous Overhaul as allies, and they mourned Sir Nighteye's passing together (along with All Might). By the time U.A.'s cultural festival was underway, Izuku and Mirio were good friends and trusted each other to look out for Eri, like foster brothers.
Izuku needs friends, yes... but most of all, he needs allies and training partners. Being a hero means putting duty first, and the heart second.
